Clips showcase Grammy highlights

TODAY'S TV

January 05, 1994|By David Bianculli | David Bianculli,Contributing Writer

"Grammy's Greatest Moments" (8-10 p.m., WBAL, Channel 11) offers a little revisionist and manipulative history, because Grammy's "hits" are no more famous than its misses. The Beatles are shown in a performance clip singing "Hey Jude," for example, but that classic song from Apple Records didn't win a Grammy for song of the year in 1968. It was nominated -- but lost to "Little Green Apples." But this special is about performers and songs, not necessarily winners and losers. In that respect, it's not worthless, though it's hard to get too enthusiastic about a show built around excerpts from previous awards shows. Besides, if you're going to do that, the obvious gold mine is the Tonys, not the Grammys. CBS.

* "Now" (9-10 p.m., WMAR, Channel 2) -- On the eve of going on trial yet again, this time for assisting a 1993 suicide in Michigan, Dr. Jack Kevorkian is scheduled to sit for an interview with Tom Brokaw. NBC.

* "Birdland" (10-11 p.m., WJZ, Channel 13) -- In this new drama series, Brian Dennehy plays Dr. Brian McKenzie, chief of psychiatry at a major metropolitan hospital. McKenzie, like Jack Klugman's Quincy, is addicted to horse racing, but even more concerned about his patients -- including one delusional guy who claims to "control" Kathie Lee Gifford's on-air behavior by barking instructions into his "special pen." At least I think he's delusional. Anyway, although some of the humorous and dramatic situations are a little forced, there are enough delicate touches in other scenes to warrant giving "Birdland" a chance. And ABC is giving it one, for at least six episodes. ABC.

* "48 Hours" (10-11 p.m., WBAL, Channel 11) -- At the end of "60 Minutes" each week, "A Few Minutes With Andy Rooney" seems just about the right amount of time, so the prospect of "48 Hours With Andy Rooney" is a little -- well, daunting. But Mr. Rooney is only a guest on "48 Hours," and, given his famous flap over his disparaging remarks about homosexuals, a well-qualified one: the scheduled topic is political correctness. CBS.

Cable

* "Deliverance" (10:05 p.m.-12:20 a.m., TBS) -- Edited for TV, and not shown in wide-screen are two ways not to watch this stunning 1972 John Boorman film -- but since it surfaces so rarely, any way is better than none at all. James Dickey's story is as poetic and powerful as the scenery.